Posted on 12/15/2006 9:27:50 AM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist
Six Firearms Found In Player's Gurnee Home
(CBS) GURNEE -- Chicago Bears' defensive tackle Terrence "Tank" Johnson was arrested after police recovered six firearms and marijuana in his Gurnee home while executing a search warrant Thursday morning.
Sources tell CBS 2 complaints from a neighbor in Gurnee prompted police to search the garbage from Johnson's home three times in recent weeks. The affidavit for a search warrant indicates they found marijuana residue, and the judge granted the request.
But neither the judge nor state's attorneys were told or realized that "Terry Johnson" was "Tank Johnson," the Bears starting tackle.
Johnson was not home when police arrived around 11 a.m. Thursday, apparently blasting their way into the home.
"They took like a long pole and from what I hear it sounds like it was a blast to the door to get in, and it shook my house and a neighbor's house, a picture fell off our wall, things like that," said neighbor Ashley Chamberlain.
Johnson, 25, was charged with six counts of unlawful possession of a firearm without a Firearm Owners Identification Card, according to a Gurnee police department press release. He was released Thursday evening after posting a $100 bond, according to the release, and is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 9.
Johnson appeared outside his North Suburban home Thursday night, carrying his baby daughter to a waiting limousine. As he kissed her good-bye, his girlfriend, who was home as the time of the search, ducked into the limo and both she and the child were driven away.
Johnson declined to speak with reporters, and went back inside.
But his coach expressed serious concern.
"My players do the right thing the majority of the time, but sometimes things like this come up. I'm going to wait to see exactly what the charges are before I can talk anymore on it," Bears Coach Lovie Smith said.
"It definitely is a concern because Tank has had to deal with some things like this in the past. Yes, it definitely is a concern," Smith said, adding that it was also a distraction for the playoff-bound team.
Johnson's roommate, 26-year-old Willie B. Posey was also arrested; he was charged with one count of marijuana possession. CBS 2 learned Thursday night that a Willie Posey, same age, same spelling, was recently released from an Illinois state prison after serving five years for armed robbery and narcotics.
Tank Johnson, while a stand-out defensive tackle, has also had several run-ins with law enforcement. He received 18 months probation for another unlawful weapons charge last November. Charges filed after a fight on Rush Street this February were dropped.
Johnson's brushes with the law are the only detours on a journey from the streets of Gary, Ind. to NFL stardom. His family moved him away from Gary to get him gang bangers.
Now, he is back, authorities say, in what they call questionable company.
Johnson is not in any way linked to the marijuana charges and the other gun charges, authorities tell CBS 2, usually result in a simple fine and may not even be enough to violate his previous probation.
The charge of not having the card while possessing firearms carries a penalty of up to a year in jail upon conviction, said Jeff Pavletic, first assistant state's attorney in Lake County. Unless specifically exempted by statute, all Illinois residents who buy or possess firearms are required by law to have a valid Firearm Owner's Identification card. They are issued by the Illinois State Police.
Johnson left Halas Hall Thursday around 3 p.m. with a Bears security guard, presumably to turn himself in to police.
What This Means For The Bears
Losing Johnson would be a major blow to the Bears, who've already clinched a playoff berth by winning the NFC North.
Chicago also is without Pro Bowl defensive tackle Tommie Harris, who underwent surgery Tuesday for a torn hamstring.
"I'm disappointed," Smith said. "Of course we're disappointed that something like this is coming up. We're constantly talking about our players, about doing the right thing, and our players do the right thing the majority of the time. But sometimes things like this come up."
What's obama got to say about this? It's his home town and the "Bears are going all the way".
It's not hard to see how this could happen. Poor kid from a bad neighborhood, hanging around with, I think the term is, "undesirables", moves into an area where there are many police units with more training and equipment than opportunity to use it all.
Suddenly, the front door refuses to surrender and gets blown off because there was some marijuana and a barking dog inside. It all makes sense when you look at it closely.
"complaints from a neighbor in Gurnee prompted police to search the garbage from Johnson's home three times in recent weeks"
I'm just wondering what type of a neighborly complaint would justify having your refuse scrutinized?
Effing snitch!!
I'd be very cautious about what I did to a bear's johnson no matter WHERE I found his sixguns.
I know it's not in Cook, CO (where he lives, that is). And lucky for Tank too--otherwise he'd be in violation of the assualt weapon ban there as well (newly updated) and, had he been in Chicago, a whole mess of other fun laws. I was refering to his probation (or potential, rather) violation that WOULD fall under Cook's juristiction for his last run in with the law. I think this was a nightclub run-in of some kind and he's still on probation from that. I think they will let him slide.
I feel for him. Based on the weapons found, he sounds like he has some taste and probably likes shooting. It's the big picture of 'wealthy black athelete + Guns + Pot + Pit Bulls'. The Man just can't have that. He needs to tone it down or buy an island I guess.
LAKE FOREST, Ill. – The man arrested at Tank Johnson’s home Thursday was shot and killed at a Chicago nightclub, the Ice Bar, early Saturday morning. Johnson was reportedly at the club at the time of the shooting.
Defensive tackle Tank Johnson was selected by the Bears in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft. However, the Chicago Police Department has informed the Bears that at this time there is no information linking Johnson to their investigation about the incident.
In a statement released Saturday morning, the Bears said: “We are aware of the shooting that occurred in a downtown club last night. We are currently gathering information to learn more about the situation.”
On Thursday, William Posey was arrested and charged with felony marijuana possession after police executed a search warrant at Johnson's home in Gurnee.
Johnson, who was at Halas Hall at the time of the search, was later charged with six misdemeanor counts of possession of a firearm without a Firearm Owner’s Identification card.
On Friday, coach Lovie Smith said that Johnson would be deactivated for Sunday’s home game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“This was my decision, not a Bears (decision),” Smith said at the time. “This isn’t discipline or anything like that. Each week I decide which 46 guys give us the best opportunity to win based on a lot of factors. (It’s) only that.
“I think it’s hard to be as focused as you should be going through things like that and to be able to give your best effort on the weekend.”
Johnson has had brushes with the law before. Last March, prosecutors dropped battery and resisting arrest charges filed against the defensive tackle in February stemming from a scuffle outside a Chicago nightclub. That arrest violated his probation that resulted from a guilty plea to a misdemeanor unlawful gun possession charge.
On Friday, general manager Jerry Angelo indicated that the team was upset with Johnson's conduct.
“We’re very disappointed," Angelo said. "We’re embarrassed by this. It’s unfortunate that it did happen and in particular it happened to Tank. He’s had a history now of doing things and that history has got to stop. I tell players that it’s not their talent that determines their career, it’s their character that determines their career, and we’re very much adamant about that.
“Although each situation is a little bit different—we look at each situation that way as well—but at some point a player has to be held accountable for his actions, not only on the field but off the field as well.”
Angelo stressed that the Bears will not tolerate a string of indiscretions by any player.
“If players are smart, they’re not going to flirt with the line," Angelo said. "They know where the lines are and they better make sure that they don’t cross any lines. No player is that good. I made sure that Tank understood that, and I would speak to any player on that count.
“We will not condone a history of poor decisions or actions that are going to affect us, not only from a credibility standpoint, but distract or impair our goal, and our goal is to win football games, to win a championship. Anything that distracts us from that goal, that’s going to be treated very severely. I could assure you that and I speak for everybody in the organization.”
DANG!!!! I WANTED TANK TO LOSE HIM AS A FRIEND... SHEESH... WELL, THE GUY IS DEAD NOW...
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